“A seagull and a crow attacked two doves at the Vatican as they were released from a window by two children and the Pope.”The symbolism of doves has a long history associated with fertility, feminism, love and peace. As far back as the iron age in Ancient Near East and the Mediterranean the dove can be found as a symbol for the mother goddess. There is even evidence that suggests ancient Israelites believed the Canaanite goddess, Asherah (symbolized as a dove) was consort to Yahweh. As described by Dorothy Willette writing for the Biblical Archeology Society: The Enduring Symbolism of Doves; From ancient icon to biblical mainstay– “… it is not so surprising, then, that the heirs of this Israelite religion incorporated the “feminine” symbol of the dove to represent the spirit of God (the word for “spirit,” ruach, is a feminine word in Hebrew).”So the fact that a crow, which often symbolizes death or acts as an omen of something bad occurring, attacked a dove at the Vatican acts as an almost archetypal representation of the battle between good and evil, life and death, peace and war.As with any symbol, our own psyche can add layers of meanings to that which might only be a normal aspect of nature (predators going after prey, the cycle of life). Still, for me at least, it connected on such a personal, deep level to events going on in my own life that it was impossible to ignore. Like the traffic ticket I received last fall, I wondered what this was trying to tell me about my life.I have found truth and consolation in the quote from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.” And I have discovered yet again that this year is meant to test my own intentionality. What sort of person do I want to be? How will I respond when facing feelings of hurt and anger?My conclusion has been this- that there is one prescription for powerlessness, staying true to who I am no matter what comes at me. In this way, as a dove confronting a crow becomes the very best representation of peace and love, so my values, tested under extreme situations, show the world exactly who I am.

> For the next few weeks I will be posting once a week only on Tuesdays. Please let me know what you think of this change. Thanks. DeanneHow do you cope with difficulties? I’d love to hear from you. And to prove it, leave a comment and I’ll enter you into my drawing where one lucky January commenter will win a copy of any one of Daniel Davidson's Travel Free Guides. Check back at the end of the month to see if you’re my winner. Please note –while I love and appreciate getting Facebook posts and Twitter replies, the comment must be made on my blog, using the blog form – this way all who see the blog post can engage in a shared conversation. Thanks. (BTW - For those of you who don’t yet know of Daniel Davidson, he’s a travel writer with great advice on saving money while traveling. Check his website for more info: http://www.freetravelideas.com/)

“Stressed spelled backwards is dessert you know.”This was a new one on me but made perfect sense. Chocolate ice cream may heal a broken heart, but when I am stressed I crave a Snickers bar… a full on shot of chocolate not watered down with the other ingredients of ice cream.During our week in Tahoe we had many funny conversations about dessert in fact. Apparently, in some places of the world (or perhaps just in my friend’s house) melon is considered dessert. As far as my husband and I are concerned, though, the only thing that makes melon a contender would be that is is sweet. And even then unless it is frozen and served with caramel sauce and whip cream it would be difficult to imagine it being served after dinner at our house.That said… my hubby and I do disagree on the range of ingredients that make up dessert. For him, it can not be considered dessert unless it includes chocolate in some form. I, though, hold to the idea that anything baked or whipped that includes sugar would be dessert.For example… custard = dessert, bread pudding = dessert, fruit pie = dessert; peaches, cherries, grapes, apples, mole sauce do NOT = dessert. It is a pretty simple recipe, but I’m willing to consider options if you have a good one… so send me your favorite dessert. If I get 10 legitimate comments I will share my super-secret, truly decadent recipe for chocolate peanut butter pie… Hands down the best dessert in the world, especially if you are stressed.

About Me...

Deanne Wilsted

Link here to Betting Jessica on Amazon.comBackground - Overheard While WritingIt's hard to explain, but 12 years ago, when I started to write seriously, the only place where I could get my work done was at Starbucks.

Since then, 4 manuscripts and 4 favored Starbucks later, I sill find myself drawn to a cozy corner and a half-decaf Americano.... not to mention the many friendly faces that greet me when I arrive.

And, while I try to stay focused, there are some times when the conversations or interactions that surround me draw my attention away from my own characters, and into the world of life's own characters.

This BLOG captures some of those funny, sincere, inspiring moments. Maybe they will give you a reason to write as well.